Roravan
Codex
Roravan
Name (Singular and Plural): Roravan
Sexes: Evenly split between males and females. [Extrapolated due to limited data]
Height: Most adults are between 7' 8" and 9' 10" in height with most occupying a space in the 8 foot range.
Weight: 1,000-1,500 lbs
Fur: Thick brown-to-black fur with green tints. Blue-black occurs, but is rare. Grows longer on top, but usually to a maximum of 6 inches or so.
Eyes: Roravan eyes range across the spectrum from yellow to red, with browner variants of those colors existing.
Appearance
Roravan are mostly humanoid, with a strong resemblance to Terran bears. While their general anatomy is roughly analogous to most galactic humanoids, several key differences exist.
The first and most notable is the extra pair of arms. Roravan have a total of six limbs. Two legs exist in the standard location and arrangement, with four total arms arranged on their torsos. While two of the arms are arrayed in the usual configuration for humanoids, roravan possess a second set, located just below the standard two. Aside from location, both pairs of arms are identical to each other, arrayed with five digits, each terminating in a short, black claw, with one digit serving as an opposable thumb.
Other physiognomic features of note include a relatively bestial snout, ursine ear shape and placement, and highly adaptable genitalia.
Roravan genitals typically stay retracted into their bodies until aroused, a trait that might stem from the highly combative nature of their species. Upon arousal, a vertical fold between a Roravan’s legs will swell open, extending or presenting their genitals. In females, the resultant structure forms a set of puffy, trifold “lips” arranged in an inverted triangle. In the male, the base structure is a proportionately long shaft of moderate thickness, terminating in a long, pointed head. Males possess large scrotal sack that retracts fully into the body until sexual intercourse. The genitals of both sexes are self-lubricating when extended, covered in a slick liquid with a smell often compared to that of terran pine trees.
Biology - The Cloak Liche
All roravan live in a symbiotic relationship with a unique species of plant that grows on their fur, giving roravan fur its characteristic green tint and “pine” smell. This lichen, known to the roravan simply as “cloak,” provides additional oxygenation to roravan, introducing it directly into their bloodstreams, allowing them a greater range of speed and efficiency of movement than other creatures of their size.
While the full effects of the cloak lichen are unknown, due to a lack of sample variation (See Culture-History), it has been theorized that while cloak is relatively benign and beneficial in its lichen stage, it may possess methods to increase its distribution among roravan populations. Cloak spores can be found in roravan bloodstreams, but is found in the highest concentrations in roravan sexual secretions. When ingested, these spores trigger a mild narcotic effect, resulting in a relaxed or even “dreamlike” state in a subject. Similarly, exposure to spores triggers an immediate and frantic craving for more sexual fluids in a subject. Both effects are relatively temporary, rarely lasting for more than an hour.
While studies have been limited, it appears that the cloak lichen is mono-symbiotic with roravan, and cannot reproduce or remain viable in a non-roravan organism.
Roravan are incredibly long-lived, and there is some evidence that they do not perish due to old age. The basis of this theory is rooted in the properties of the cloak lichen, which interacts with roravan biology to completely mitigate apoptosis (cell death). While roravan can perish through misfortune and murder (though their immense strength, size, and durability makes this a sizeable undertaking), it is possible that left to their own devices, a roravan could potentially live forever.
Reproduction
Roravan genitals possess a high level of adaptability. Rather than swelling and maintaining a constant turgid hardness or tightness, the resistance of Roravan genitals is highly morphic, expanding or contracting relative to the space they occupy or an object occupying them. During sexual climax, however, roravan genitals can swell rapidly, often straining any non-Roravan genitals engaged in copulation with them. Sexual climax often results in a copious amount of fluid release, in both semen and vaginal secretions, with amounts sometimes exceeding a gallon in volume. This may be due to reproductive adaptations from the “cloak” lichen (See Biology). There is some scholarly theory that the cloak lichen contributes to fluid production as a means to better propagate itself.
Curiously, roravan anal cavities share the same expansive, if not excessive fluid properties as roravan genitals. Descriptions of anal intercourse with a roravan has produced reports a “sucking” effect produced during arousal and climax of the genitals.
Roravan appear to be genetically incompatible with other species, and there is no record of viable offspring produced between a roravan and a member of any other species. [Data courtesy of the Camarilla, all rights reserved.] This incompatibility may be due to genetic specialization/reliance on symbiosis with the cloak lichen, making it impossible to reproduce with a partner that does not possess the capacity to host the cloak lichen.
While reproduction between roravan has not been studied at length, due to their severely reduced population and loss of historical record, some extrapolations can be made from roravan biology. The high degree of adaptability in terms of size and angle in roravan genitals suggests a highly combative mating system, with no clear hierarchy in terms of sexual dominance.
Some roravan artifacts retrieved from the ruins of Solitarius confirm this, depicting combative, ritualistic mating, resembling gladiatorial wrestling. As depicted in art, such copulation would take place before spectators, and appeared to involve complex rules systems that have yet to be fully understood. The rough rules appeared to be that the first to climax would “lose.” Some pieces depict a losing combatant being “milked,” or manually brought to ejaculation before a crowd.
Cultural and History
Much of roravan history prior to their advent on the galactic stage has been lost - due both to concerted efforts from outside forces, and through intentional destruction from the Third Ravanic Empire. Genetic similarities and fragmented records suggest a shared biological connection to the tra’hant species of Esper IV, though the effects of the cloak lichen and artificial genetic adjustments make calculating the exact point of species divergence impossible.
Recovered artifacts and encounters with the roravan suggest a long history of militaristic empires, reflected in government, art, and everyday life. Linguistic analysis of the roravan language indicates a marked stress on lineage and rank. Some remainders of roravan fashion and art suggest that gold jewelry was a mark of status and rank, and worn by both sexes.
What is known is that by 2400 A.C., the Third Ravanic Empire (the then-current roravan government) shared a star system, [REDACTED], with another sapient species, the Mhoa. UGC records note a high level of philosophical and architectural advancement in Mhoa society, so much so that they had no concept of aggression or violence. Other surviving records of the Mhoa suggest an avian appearance with extremely delicate biological construction. In 2407 A.C., the Mhoa made contact with an exploratory ausar probe, expressing a desire to join the larger galactic community. The Mhoa freely shared their technology and art, sending their plans for advanced orbital platforms and delicate but efficient space elevators systems. Taking this as a show of good faith, the UGC sent plans for a warp gate.
In the period between 2407-2589, UGC records are spotty. What is known, based on salvaged records, is that three events took place in the following order: First, the Mhoa began construction of their warp gate. Second, the Third Ravanic Empire achieved interplanetary travel. Third, the Ravanic Empire made violent contact with the Mhoa. The Mhoa did not survive.
In 2589, the warp gate to the [REDACTED] star system opened on the fringe of Gyre Grand Camarilla-controlled space, releasing a Ravanic war fleet made up of weapon-outfitted Mhoa ships. The confusion caused by the sudden appearance of unexpected groups created enough of a window for Camarilla diplomats to open negotiations and calm the hostile situation.
While Gyre Grand Camarilla communications at the time were obfuscated, the Ganre Investigation of 2821 reveals that the Gyre Grand Camarilla had offered the Ravanic Empire arms in exchange for a military alliance. Then-current Grand CEO of the Camarilla, Ladron Ganre sought to destabilize the UGC and establish the Gyre Grand Camarilla as the dominant galactic power. To this end, the Gyre Grand Camarilla presented the Ravanic Empire as a peacekeeping force to the rest of the UGC, establishing the Gyre Grand Camarilla as the sole intermediaries between the Ravanic Empire and the UGC.
[CAMARILLA UPDATED CLARIJUNCTION: THE CURRENT CAMARILLA IS A LEGALLY DISTINCT ENTITY AND WHOLLY SEPARATE FROM THE GYRE GRAND CAMARILLA]
For roughly two hundred years, the Ravanic Empire served ostensibly as a fringe border guard for UGC allied territories. Over the course of this period, the Gyre Grand Camarilla made sure the Third Ravanic Empire was equipped with heavy armaments, complimenting the Mhoa shipbuilding tech. A later (2774) finding, published by investigative reporter Woodward Wu, establishes that Gyre Grand CEO Ladron Ganre had been simultaneously funneling money and resources to Black Void pirates in an attempt to both weaken other UGC governments and to emphasize the need for the roravan as security forces. Wu’s report would spur and inform the official Ganre Investigation of 2821.
In 2772, the Third Ravanic Empire, dissatisfied or impatient with the pace of their alliance, officially declared a statement of galactic conquest and launched an independent attack on an ausar mining depot on Colchia IX. The attack prompted an immediate military response from the Joint Ausar Federation. Gyre Grand Camarilla forces attempted to mediate the conflict but were silenced when several Gyre Grand Camarilla wabeships were also destroyed by the Ravanic Empire. From 2772-2781, The Third Ravanic Empire pushed in from the Fringe, seizing primarily Gyre Grand Camarilla space. While the Gyre Grand Camarilla appealed to the rest of the UGC for aid, most allied civilizations sent minimal ships and resources, seeing this as a problem of the Gyre Grand Camarilla’s own making. The publication of Wu’s findings would later cement this stance.
The Third Ravanic Empire pushed outwards from Gyre Grand Camarilla space in 2781, prompting an immediate and forceful response from the rest of the UGC. Prepared for Ravanic expansion, the combined UGC forces fought a bloody but decisive war, pushing the Third Ravanic Empire back to its homeworld. A number of governments used this opportunity to reclaim territories previously ceded to the Gyre Grand Camarilla. When Gyre Grand Camarilla objections were met with force from other governments, the internal structure of the Gyre Grand Camarilla underwent a coup, rebranding itself as the Camarilla, and ousting all officials responsible for and complicit in the Ravanic Conspiracy.
In 2820 A.C., all Third Ravanic Empire forces were forced into retreat to ERROR: COULD NOT FIND OBJECT "REDACTED", where an unnamed device was used to collapse the planet’s core. This unusual method of destruction was seen as a necessary blow to morale, given the roravan tendency to fight to the death. Indeed, the visible finality of [SOLITARIUS] resulted in the surrender of 30% of the remaining Ravanic forces. Combined with concluding military action from the UGC, the threat of the Third Ravanic Empire was ended.
Any imprisoned roravan were given the choice between assimilating into the galactic community or summary execution. A small number chose the former, and were relocated by the UGC throughout the galaxy, but legally restricted from communication with one another. Today, few roravan remain in the galaxy.